Homemade Bird and Squirrel Food?

Treats for the Birds:
(As for Squirrels they will eat larger seeds and nuts of any type.)

This is a general mixture referred to as suet.
Moist Ingredients:
crunchy peanut butter 1+1/2 C.
vegetable shortening (or lard) 1+1/2 C.
honey 1/2 C. (or sugar 1/2 C. + 1/2 water)

Dry Ingredients:
birdseed 1 C.
quick-cooking oats (not instant) - 2 C.
plus 1 C. of ONE of the following:
= cream of wheat (not instant)
= cornmeal
= flour

Yummy Additions:
As much of any of the following items to equal 1 Cup:
cranberries, dried
black sunflower seeds
berries (any type, dried)
raisins
cherries

Directions:

1) If your dry cranberries, raisins or other yummies seem a bit large, chop them, coarsely.
2) In a large microwave safe bowl place all your moist ingredients
3) Warm in the microwave till the vegetable shortening or lard is just soft enough so you can stir it with a wooden spoon.
4) Stir in the dry ingredients.

5) Add the cup of yummies! If you dont like getting your hands sticky, stop here and just use your spoon to spread the suet directly on branches

6) Or place a small bowl of flour nearby. (about 1 cups worth) and using your hands squish and squeeze the whole mess adding a bit of flour occasionally if it seems too sticky; yet it will be slippery. Once it will keep its shape a little, roll it into balls about the size of golf balls, place them in the freezer to firm up.

7) To present your treats to your feathered friends press the balls in forks of trees and bushes. Or on spikes of chain link fences. Any place they will stay put.

You can also just put out all the yummies in a bird feeder without anything else. The squirrels will snatch these long before the birds do though!